Vatican Signs First Treaty with ‘State of Palestine,’ Israel Angered

 
Reuters, 26/06 14:52 CET

By Philip Pullella

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – The Vatican signed its first treaty with the “State of Palestine” on Friday, calling for “courageous decisions” to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and backing a two-state solution.

The treaty, which made official the Vatican’s de facto recognition of Palestine since 2012, angered Israel, which called it “a hasty step (that) damages the prospects for advancing a peace agreement”.

Israel also said it could have implications on its future diplomatic relations with the Vatican.

The accord, which concerns the Catholic Church’s activities in areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority, also confirmed the Vatican’s increasingly proactive role in foreign policy under Pope Francis. Last year, it brokered the historic resumption of ties between the United States and Cuba.

Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s foreign minister, said at the signing that he hoped it could be a “stimulus to bringing a definitive end to the long-standing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which continues to cause suffering for both parties”.

Full article available here: http://www.euronews.com/newswires/3028486-vatican-signs-first-treaty-with-state-of-palestine-backs-two-state-solution/ 

(Additional reporting by Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem; Editing by Tom Heneghan)

Source: Euronews